Reuters published photos of incredibly beautiful natural complex the national Park Altyn-Emel in the valley of the ili river.
In the photos you can see the skeletons of animals and unusual plants. The unique Singing Sands – natural phenomenon, landmark and pride of Kazakhstan, are found in this Park, and the famous myths that surround them and the sound they make. Dune (hill of sand formed by the wind) up to a height of 150 meters and a length of up to 3 km is situated between the folds of the mountains Tien Shan at the border with China. In dry weather, from dune comes the roar, resembling the melody of the organ. This place had time to acquire legends before physicists found that the cause of the sound lies in the friction of the grains against each other.
Singing dunes included in the list of “new Seven wonders of nature” (nominees Asia) – competition which must identify the seven most important natural places in the world with the world of the popular vote.
The Park also has volcanic mountains, the millennial graves of the first rulers of the Sakas, ancient tribe of nomads, and countless wild animals, including gazelles-gazelles, moving the famous lightning jumps.
Part of the Park, popular among tourists, is called “Valley of castles”. A few rocks here form a structure resembling the towers of a medieval fortress.
Singing Sands since ancient times has caused many people’s superstitions. In the extant legends the singing of the Sands was due to the activity of the spirits of the desert, fantastic animals, the sound of bells buried cities, powerful, raging underground rivers and many other extraordinary reasons.
One legend says: “In ancient times traveled the world Shaitan (Satan). Watching people, building plots of all time and did not miss anything. Was once angry with him God, and deprived of the ability to instantly move from one place to another. Then the devil had to walk to his house – and the house stood on top of a mountain. Long Satan was in the wilderness, made their way along the winding paths along the river Or, finally tired and lay down to rest. So hard was his path and so difficult was the burden of them committed acts that Satan has fallen asleep sound sleep. And he is asleep still, turning a lonely dune, and nothing and no one could Wake him up – no hot sun, no rain, no storm, no winds. Only sometimes, a lone groan escapes from his breast, when someone tries to disturb forever asleep Shaytan”.
According to another legend, under the sand dune buried Genghis Khan and his military colleagues, and the sand sings when the soul of Khan exhausted from the mental anguish, says descendants of his exploits”.
